National Treasure : The Treasure of Jean Laffite
by Kyoko-chan and Mistress-sama
Summary: Sequel to NT II : Riley's Declaration of Independence. Riley and Alexis's adventures continue. This time, they're in Alexis's home state of Texas trying to piece together the mystery surrounding a lost pirate treasure and Riley's disowned twin brother.
1. Prologue

With the huge success of Riley's Declaration of Independence, I knew I'd have to at least write one sequel! I hope I can match my first one, but with a completely new treasure, a new villain, and a more complex storyline, I'm not sure I can! So, here's my attempt at a completely new idea for National Treasure!

A/N: Contains spoilers for National Treasure II : Riley's Declaration of Independence!. Don't read this until you've read Riley's Declaration!

Disclaimer: How many times doI have to go through this! If I owned these characters, would I be posting here? Alexis is mine, Chloe is mine, Ryan is mine. Sandecker is not mine. I borrowed him from the Dirk Pitt book series by Clive Cussler.

**National Treasure **

**The Treasure of Jean Lafayette **

Okay, I'm sitting in an airplane, bored out of my mind! What is there for me to do? I finished the book I brought and the in-flight movie is some Tom Cruise film with _way_ too many explosions in it. I was so excited about going back to Texas and introducing my parents to Riley, Abigail, and Ben, but I forgot how long the flight is! Flying from D.C. to DFW is like flying from Boston to London. (Okay, it's not _that_ far, but it seems like it.) The world we are entering is a far cry from the world of politics and history we're leaving behind. (Plus it's hot in mid-August!) My life has changed so much in the last three months that it will take two days to fill my parents in on what all has happened. (Something tells me they won't be too pleased if some photographers start hanging around their house.) Riley's new job as the head of the Security Technologies Development Department at the Archives nearly kept us from coming. Luckily, he was able to clear up the problem in less than an hour. (Don't ask. Even _I_ had to ask for a translation!) Oh, another car exploded. I wish Tom Cruise would have gone with it. Riley's not making things any better. What is it with guys and music anyway? Maybe if I steal that IPod, he'll talk to me…


	2. Texas Vacation

Okay, chapter one has to go up now so that I can draw my readers in. (Sometimes, just a prologue won't do that.) A/N: For those of you that don't know, DFW is short for Dallas Ft. Worth International Airport. Also, Dallas, Ft. Worth, and the surrounding communities in Dallas and Tarrent counties are know as the "Metroplex".

Chapter 1:

Texas Vacation

The hot August sun glinted off the silver body of an American Airlines jet en route to DFW International Airport. Four of its passengers were still trying to keep up with their rapidly changing lives. Riley Poole, a blue-eyed brunette, was about to meet his girlfriend's parents. He and she had already been through adversity together, so he figured that this would be much easier than trying to outsmart a murderous creep.

Alexis Lowell, Riley's girlfriend, pushed a strand of her golden-blonde hair out of her blue-gray eyes. For her, this was a homecoming. She hadn't seen her parents in two years. Now that she had finished college, she wanted to visit her parents and help them with a few things in their new house in Ft. Worth. (They moved from Dallas.) She was also excited to introduce them to her new friends.

Benjamin Gates looked through a newspaper to kill some time. He nudged the shoulder of the woman he had recently become engaged to and smiled. She had champagne colored hair and blue eyes. He laid the newspaper in his lap and took her hand. He was just along for the ride, and to visit the state that had once fought its own war for independence and become its own independent republic.

Abigail Chase smiled at Ben's teasing. She stared at her brown-haired, blue-eyed companion. She just needed a break from life at the Archives, as the summer holidays were the busiest time of year for them.

All in all, the four were looking forward to a relaxing vacation in Cowtown.

* * *

Riley watched for their luggage to come around on the carousel. "Why did I get stuck doing this?" He asked himself. Alexis was on the phone with her parents, and Ben and Abigail had gone to get the rental car.

Suddenly, Riley saw one of their bags on the carousel. He lurched forward and snatched it off, as if afraid someone else might take it if he didn't get it first. "Great, only seven more to go."

"So, that's it so far?" A light voice asked from behind him.

Riley half-smiled. "Yeah. We might have to check lost baggage." He said sarcastically, placing his free arm around her shoulders.

Abigail, bored with the paperwork Ben was filling out, returned to help with the suitcases. "So, your parents' new house is in Ft. Worth?" She asked.

"Yeah, it's off Camp Bowie." Alexis answered, picking up the last suitcase.

Ben joined them as the group turned to leave. He threw a set of keys at Alexis. She caught them with a flourish. "What's this for?" She asked.

"You're driving, Miss Texas." He answered with a smile.

* * *

"So, who wants to stop and get something to eat?" Riley asked; hoping Alexis would finally stop.

"Riley, we're eating at my parents' house, for the millionth time!" Alexis said through clenched teeth. The drive from DFW wasn't long, only about thirty minutes, but to Riley, that was a lifetime.

Ben was amazed that Alexis remembered where everything was after the several years it had been since she had spent time in Ft. Worth. She grew up in Dallas, but she had often visited Cowtown. "So, what's this area like?" Ben asked.

"I've never really been in this area before. I've only seen the houses directly on Camp Bowie. They said the house was a colonial style from the fifties." Alexis said.

"Sounds like a charming home." Alexis nodded in agreement and exited the highway.

* * *

Mr. and Mrs. Lowell ran down the stone walkway to the street as Alexis and her friends unloaded the car.

Riley looked into the sky. The sun's heat was unbearable. "It's like two hundred degrees out here!" He complained.

Ben jabbed Riley in the side. "Quit complaining. I'm sure you can handle it."

Alexis hugged her parents. "It's so good to see you!"

As the others joined her with the suitcases, Alexis introduced them to her family. "These are my parents, Jessica and Charlie Lowell."

Ben put the three suitcases he had down and shook Mr. Lowell's hand.

"Mom, Dad, these are my friends, Benjamin Gates and Abigail Chase." Alexis said, then took Riley's hand. "And this is my boyfriend, Riley Poole."


	3. Meet the Parents

(In weird foreign accent) K, so, here is the Earth. Dame, that is a sweet Earth, you might say. All round and—whatever. So, other than the ice caps melting, the ozone layer leaving, and a meteor becoming crashed into us, we are definitely going to blow ourselves up. Okay, so, you've got China, France, India, Pakistan, Israel, Russia, the U.K., and us, all with nukes. We've got twenty-six hundred more than anybody else…. Sorry, couldn't resist. If you haven't seen the end of the world flash animation, you should. ebaumsworld . com

Chapter 2:

Meet the Parents

The Lowells looked Riley over carefully. What they saw was a twenty-five year-old man, about 5'9" in height, with dark brown hair and brilliant blue eyes.

Charlie was the first to react. He shook Riley's hand. "Welcome to Texas, Mr. Poole."

"Your house is beautiful!" Abigail complimented.

"Oh, thank you!" Jessica said. "Charlie was the one who found it. Come on in and we'll show you the inside."

Alexis smiled. She couldn't wait to see the interior.

"I hope you don't mind, Lexi, but we cleared up that stuff we mentioned needing help with." Charlie said.

"Dad! You know what the doctor said about lifting heavy things with your back!" Alexis said with concern.

"We had help from the neighbors." He assured her.

They crossed the threshold of the house and saw that the interior was spacious and open. A staircase led from the right to the upstairs rooms. Jessica led them up the stairs and to their rooms. Afterward, she gave her daughter the grand tour.

* * *

That evening, the Lowells treated their guests to a fabulous meal, cooked by Alexis and Jessica. Of course, Charlie couldn't resist asking Ben how he had solved the riddle on the key. Abigail and Riley assisted in the kitchen, though Riley found himself to be more of a hindrance than anything else. However, his lack of skills in the kitchen entertained the women and they enjoyed having their male assistant there. Jessica asked all the usual mom questions like 'How old are you?' and 'What kind of job do you have?', which Riley answered candidly.

"Riley, can you put this over by the range?" Jessica asked.

Riley took the pan and tried to figure out what the range was. Alexis looked at her confused boyfriend sympathetically and point him to the stove. "The _stove_, Riley! The stove!"

Riley looked at her gratefully.

Jessica laughed. "Sorry, Riley. I was just messing around with you. I don't normally say the 'range'!"

"Mom, what was that for?" Alexis asked accusingly.

Jessica just smiled and kept cooking.

* * *

After dinner, they had fun socializing and chatting. At eleven, they all retired to their rooms.

Ben looked through the many books on his on a shelf in his room. One caught his eye. "Hmm, Texas: Legends and Lore." He pulled the book off the shelf and began flipping through it.

* * *

Alexis put on a cami and a pair of Sophies. As she closed the window that she had opened earlier, she heard a knock at her door. "Come in." She said.

It was her mother. "I just wanted to say good night." She said. "It's so nice to have you home!"

"Night, Mom." Alexis said as her mother closed the door.

She flopped back on her bed and reached for the lamp on her nightstand to turn it off. Just as the light went out, she heard another knock. "Come in," She said again. The door opened a crack, then all the way. Riley stepped in and quietly shut the door behind him.

Alexis flipped her lamp back on. "Riley?"

"Howdy." He said.

Alexis rolled her eyes. "Not funny." She said, but in her mind, she thought it was somewhat cute. She motioned for him to sit on the bed. "How'd you like your first day in Texas?"

"It was hot!" He said, joining her.

Alexis laughed. "What? You think that was hot? It was only ninety-seven degrees out there!"

"Who said I was referring to the temperature?" He said, grinning mischievously and putting his arms around her. "But really, it was hot. How do you survive, Lexi?"

"Adaptation, Riley." She answered simply. "Just like the younger generations learn to use computers faster."

"I know what it means." Riley said, laying down and pulling Alexis with him. She snuggled next to him.

"What do you want to do tomorrow?" Alexis asked.

"We could go eat somewhere." He said hopefully.

"It's always computers and food with you! Abigail was right!" She laughed.

"Hey!" Riley said indignantly. He paused. "Wait. Abigail said that?"

"It was in May, while we were in Boston."

"Right." Riley said. "I'd like to visit downtown."

"Good thing the media is focused on that ironclad discovery over in Africa." Alexis said. "Otherwise, taking a trip into downtown would be like trying to avoid taxes. Can't be done." She was referring to the discovery of the ironclad ship, the _Texas_, in Mali by two NUMA researchers.

"I feel sorry for them." Riley said.

"Yeah, that's nothing compared to what we found." Alexis said.

"Ben's rubbing off on you." Riley sighed. "You've acquired his ability to put words into someone else's mouth." He teased.

"I don't do that!" She defended, looking him squarely in the eyes. Big mistake. He drew her in every time with those big blue eyes.

He kissed her forehead, then her lips. Then, he brushed her nose and cheeks before finding her lips again.

"Riley, we can't do this." Alexis warned, her voice barely above a whisper.

"But we never go any further than this." Riley said in protest.

"I know, I know. It's just, my parents would think otherwise. They don't know our boundaries." She explained. "They would flip if they saw this."

"Well, then. We'll just be really quiet." Riley teased, kissing her again.

"We need to sleep, Ri." She said, using her pet name for him.

Riley knew she was right. "Okay, fine. But I'm considering tomorrow a date."


	4. Change of Plans

K, sick today, stayed home from school. Posted story. That's my life today.

Chapter 3:

Change of Plans

Ben was the first person up the next morning. He slipped quietly into Riley's room and borrowed his laptop. Once back in his own room, he logged onto the Internet and typed "Jean Laffite" into the search que.

Thousands of sites ranging from historical societies in Galveston to small pages run by students were retrieved. He began with the bigger sites and slowly sifted out the information he was looking for.

* * *

Alexis yawned and rolled over. The digital clock on her nightstand read 7:05. She moaned and rubbed her hand over her face. The time change was messing with her mind. "It's too early to wake up." She thought. She tried to go back to sleep, but she couldn't seem to fall back into that land of dreams. Instead, she got up, chose an outfit for the day, and decided to be the first person in the shower

The cold water helped wake her up and sharpen her senses. She couldn't wait to show Riley around downtown. "I'll show him the Convention Center, and the Bass Hall, and the Stockyards!" She mused to herself. She dried herself off and put on her outfit of choice; a pink, sequin-trimmed cami and a brown peasant skirt that fell to her knees. She decided to leave her hair down for the day. Then, she went downstairs to greet her parents.

* * *

Riley didn't appear for another hour. He had the look of someone who hadn't slept in days. Alexis met him on the stairs. "Jet lag?" She asked.

Riley nodded, running a hand through his disheveled hair.

"Why don't you go back to sleep?" Alexis suggested, concern written on her face.

"I tried that." Riley said. "But, once I'm up, I'm up."

Alexis slipped her arms around his neck. "Then a cold shower ought to help. Trust me, you'll definitely be awake after that!"

He pressed his forehead to hers and smiled. "Let's hope so."

At that same instant, Ben left his room and halted at the top of the stairs. He cleared his throat.

Riley and Alexis jumped apart, startled by their sudden onlooker. Ben was watching them with arms crossed, a lopsided smile, and a raised eyebrow.

Riley sighed in resignation. He gave his friend a smile and a friendly shove as he passed him at the top of the stairs.

* * *

Two hours later, Riley and Alexis were on their way to downtown.

Riley could see the Texas flare everywhere, from the lone stars to longhorns that decorated the buildings and even some cars. He marveled at the two tallest buildings, the Star-Telegram building and the old Bank One building.

Naturally, Riley asked questions about the city with child-like curiosity. For him, the most interesting building was the Bank One building (now called "The Tower") because of its survival of a tornado.

They found a parking lot on the square and parked the car, then paid the lot attendant.

Riley was fascinated by the western art that filled the galleries and shops. Of course, they visited the Barns and Noble bookstore/Starbucks on the square. The noise of the city was drowned out by the soft music playing in the background of the coffee shop.

Alexis sipped at a chocolate mocha while Riley blew on a steaming cup of coffee. Neither could forget that they had met in a coffee shop in D.C.

"So, what do you think?" Alexis asked.

"Huh? About what?" Riley said, turning his eyes from the window and the unique cityscape.

"About Ft. Worth!" Alexis said.

"Oh. There's lot's of cows."

Alexis smiled. "That's Texas for you. There's a reason this city is known as 'Cowtown'."

"I've noticed." Riley said with a smile. He stopped as his cell phone began to ring. He pulled the tiny razor phone out of his pocket, the phone still vibrating madly. "It's Ben." He said and answered.

"What's up?"

"Hey, Riley, where are you two?" Ben asked.

"Starbucks." Riley replied casually.

"There's been a change of plans." Ben explained. "I'll fill you in when you get back. Hurry."

"Okay." Riley said in a confused tone and hung up.

"What did he want?" Alexis asked with concern.

"He said there's been a change in plans, but he didn't say what. He wants us back ASAP, though." Riley explained.

"Well, we should get going then." Alexis said, slightly disappointed that her day with Riley had been cut short.

Riley saw that disappointment. He put his arm around her waist as they walked out. "Don't look so upset. I'm sure Ben had a good reason for calling. Tell you what, I'll make it up to you. We'll do something together soon. I promise."

Alexis smiled affectionately. "Thanks, Ri." Her face darkened. "But because of prior experience, I can't help but feel that this has something to do with our safety."

* * *

The two were back at the Lowell house within fifteen minutes of receiving Ben's call.

Both Riley and Alexis were puzzled by the nonchalant look on Ben's face.

"What's going on?" Riley asked.

Ben smiled and held up the book on Texas legends and lore. "This," He said, pointing to a page titled 'Jean Laffite's Lost Treasure', "is what."

Riley stared at Ben in shock. "We came all the way to Texas for a vacation and now you want to go chasing after pirates' gold!" He met Ben's eyes and saw that familiar flame of determination burning in them. He sighed. There would be no changing his friend's mind. "Where do we even start?" He asked in a calmer tone.

"Galveston." Ben and Abigail chorused.

"The city Laffite founded." Alexis finished.


	5. Legend of the Treasure of Jean Laffite

Yes, I'm alive, for those of you who thought I was dead! Haha! Nope, I've been busy with winterguard (First place, Scholastic AA White Division) and captain tryouts, and before everyone starts asking me about it, no, I didn't make it. I thought I was going to Washington D.C. for about a month, then my grandparents flaked out, so my month of bliss died. I'm going into my senior year and my third year of writing on ff. So, here's to another year of awesome stories! Cheers!

Chapter 4:

The Legend of the Treasure of Jean Laffite

"So, I guess this means we're going to Galveston." Riley said. "At least it's tropical."

"Yeah, and you know what that means. Summer tourism." Alexis said. "It's a nightmare!"

"How convenient." Riley muttered. "Wasn't this the reason we left D.C.?"

No one paid any attention to his complaints.

Alexis already knew about the legend, but because there had never been any hard evidence of the treasure's existence, she had always dismissed it as just that, another children's story about pirates and buried treasure. "Are you sure about this? I mean, it's not like we have a trail of clues to follow this time."

"She's right," Riley agreed. "We have no idea where to start this time."

"I thought we'd begin with the Galveston Historical Society. There's also a branch of the National Archives there we can use." Abigail said.

Riley still refused to accept that his vacation had ended before it had even begun. "Is there _any_ chance of changing your mind?"

Ben rolled his eyes. "No, Riley."

* * *

Abigail had just finished re-packing her belongings when Ben opened the door to her room. "Are you ready to go?"

"Almost." Abigail replied.

Ben turned to leave, but Abigail's voice stopped him.

"Ben, did you _have_ to up and leave so fast? Alexis's parents have been waiting to meet us for months."

"Well, now they've met us." Ben said. His mind was already in treasure hunt mode.

"And it's hurricane season." Abigail said questioningly. "Are you sure it's safe to be on the coast? After Katrina…"

"Katrina is over." Ben said reassuringly. "She was a once in a lifetime storm. We'll be safe."

Abigail wished she could believe him, but some womanly instinct told her otherwise.

* * *

Riley hurriedly packed his stuff, careful not to let Alexis see that he wasn't folding them, but just throwing them in the suitcase. Once he finished that, he turned to get his laptop off of the desk in his room. He was surprised to see it missing. He frantically searched his room, but could find no sign of it. He stuck his head out the door. "Hey, Alexis, have you seen my laptop?"

Alexis, who was carrying her suitcase down the hall, stopped and turned. "No, I haven't."

"Thanks anyway." Riley said, then headed for Ben's room.

He opened the door to see Ben reaching for the doorknob holding his laptop.

"There it is!" Riley exclaimed.

"I was just about to bring it back to you." Ben said.

"Oh, thanks. I was worried it had been stolen!"

As Riley turned, Ben smiled. He knew about the E-mail flirtations of Riley and Alexis. "But what he doesn't know won't hurt him." He thought.

* * *

Charlie and Jessica were sad to see them leave so soon, but they also understood that the allure of adventure was hard for them to resist. They waved as Alexis drove away.

Inside the car, Riley waved, then turned to Alexis. "Nice people. A little on the overprotective side, though."

Alexis smiled. "That's my parents for you."

Riley directed his next comment to Ben. "So, what's this whole 'treasure of Jean Laffite' thing about?"

Ben leaned forward in his seat. "Well, according to a deathbed confession from one of Laffite's crewmen, claimed that Laffite had collected the loot from his raids and stashed them in a safe place. Some believe that ship sank somewhere around the island, though it has never been found."

Abigail noticed that they weren't headed for the airport. "We're not flying?" She asked.

"Nope." Alexis answered. "We're driving through the heart of Texas!"

"But that's an eight hour drive!" Riley exclaimed. "We won't get there until after midnight! Can you drive that long?"

"No, probably not." Alexis said. "That's why you're going to help me."

"What!"

"Should we be worried?" Abigail quietly asked Ben.

"You're going to make sure I don't fall asleep!" Alexis laughed.

"Happy to help." Riley said sarcastically as the car sped south.


	6. Texas Heritage

Yeah, I've had a fever for the last three days. I don't have much to do but write, type, draw, and watch Danny Phantom. Actually a very entertaining show, surprisingly. I'd like to make a clarification about this story. I have received some comments on how detailed the places in this story are compared to the last one. This is because I've lived in Texas all of my life and Ft. Worth is a big part of my life now. That's why I can describe it so well. Also, the reference to Sahara in this is just that, a reference. This is not a crossover story! Sorry to anyone who thought it might be! That's my next big project, "Isla de Muerta". (for info, look at my profile and findthe section marked "Upcoming Projects" or something like that.)I'd also love to hear any ideas anyone may have! I'm always looking for new ideas and advice for my current stories! So, on to the main attraction! This chapter is pretty long! (Sorry about the last chapter being so short, that's just how it worked out!) Have fun!

RileyPoolefan

Could someone get me a thermometer?

* * *

Chapter 5:

Texas Heritage

Riley was now in control of the silver sedan. Alexis had let him drive after he got worried about her. She told him to stay on I-35 until they hit San Antonio, which was coming up fast. He watched as a sign marked 'San Antonio - 5 miles'.

Quietly, he shook Alexis awake, careful not to awaken Ben or Abigail. "Hey, Lexi…"

"Wha…" She said sleepily.

"We're five miles outside of San Antonio."

"Oh." Alexis said and sat up. In the distance, she could see the lights from the skyscrapers of the city. To their southeast, they saw a dome with four tall pillars rising from its sides.

"The Alamodome." Alexis said quietly. "It's where they hold the UIL state marching band competitions."

"Did you ever go?" Riley asked.

"Yes, I did. It was my senior year in high school. I marched prelims and we were one of the top colorguards, but I couldn't march finals because I slipped on the wet stairs in the charter bus and fell. I ended up fracturing my leg." She said.

"Oh that sucks!" Riley said. "What place did your band make?"

"Ninth in prelims, tenth in finals." She replied. "Ten bands go to finals."

"Oh, that's even worse." Riley said. "Fractured leg after prelims and last place in finals."

"Yeah, but tenth in the state out of two-hundred in our class in the state is pretty good." Alexis said. "I remember how upset I was that night, but I got over it."

"Unfortunately, living in D.C. means no 'statewide' competitions." Riley said. "I never competed in high school."

"You're kidding! Not even in Maryland or Virginia?"

"No. All I did was play the quads at the games on Fridays."

Alexis sighed. "You missed out on a lot."

"No I didn't. I competed with the Pennsylvania State drumline in college. Where do I turn?"

"Take the next exit." Alexis directed. Once they were on the other side of the city, Riley asked Alexis if she was ready to take the wheel. "So, have you had enough sleep, or do you want me to drive for another hour?"

Alexis yawned. "I'll take over."

Riley saw her yawn. "You're still tired. Why don't you let me drive another hour?"

"No, Riley, you don't have to do that. You're just as tired as I am. Why don't we switch off now, and we can switch off every hour after that?"

Riley was secretly relieved. "Okay."

"Pull off over there." Alexis said. Riley pulled to the side of the highway. The bright headlights of other cars flashed by in the darkness. They switched places as fast as they could, then were off again.

Riley was asleep instantly. Alexis felt somewhat sluggish, but managed to stay awake and drive. Her mind wandered from subject to subject. She easily passed the time and the hour was over much faster than she had expected it to be.

She looked in the mirror to check and see if she would run into anyone if she pulled off and spotted a black sedan trailing closely behind them.

"That's strange." She thought. "Tailgating is illegal."

She drove on, pretending that nothing was wrong. "Riley. Riley wake up!" She shook him awake.

"Huh…what?"

"We're being followed." Alexis whispered.

"Followed?"

"Yeah, by a black sedan."

"Take the next exit and see what the driver does." He suggested.

Alexis pulled off on the next exit. The two exchanged worried glances as the black car followed them. They stopped at the stop sign, then continued on, merging onto the interstate again. Still, the black car followed.

"What should we do?" Alexis asked.

"I guess ignore them as long as they don't try to hurt us." The words were barely out of his mouth when a spray of bullets peppered the car!

"Ben! Abigail! Wake up!" Riley shouted, panic evident in his voice.

"What's going on!" Ben exclaimed.

"The car behind us! Whoever's in it is trying to kill us!"

"Hold on!" Alexis yelled and veered across three lanes, thankful that there was barely any other traffic.

Riley held onto the console for dear life as Alexis steered the car hard to the right as another round of bullets smashed into the car.

Ben and Abigail ducked as the back window shattered, raining glass shards on them.

Alexis pushed the little Honda to its limits, the car's speed reaching and passing 90mph.

Riley turned and saw the person in the passenger seat of the pursuing sedan lining up an automatic for another shot.

"Holy Lord…" He said, sinking down in the seat.

Ben chanced a look out of the broken rear window. The face of the man driving was completely shadowed and the passenger had their identity obscured with a large scarf around the bottom of the face.

He ducked down and leaned forward so Alexis could hear him. "Is there any way we can lose them?"

"No, there's no place to run out here." She said, panic slowly creeping its way into her voice. She steered with jerky movements, nearly flipping the car. She wove across the lanes, desperately trying to avoid the bullets that still flew at them.

"If they don't shoot us, they'll make us crash!" Abigail screamed.

Alexis realized she was right. "They'll ram us when they run out of ammunition!"

Riley looked at her in shock.

Alexis had never looked directly into the eyes of someone who though they were going to die, and as she looked at Riley, she saw a look that would haunt her the rest of her life. Was the same look in her own eyes? She was staring death in the eyes, and only her will to survive was keeping her from losing it.

The driver of the sedan put on a burst of speed and brought it next to the silver Accord. For one harrowing moment, Alexis's eyes met with those of the passenger. He raised the gun and pointed it straight at her head. She floored the gas pedal, but the sedan had the Accord outclassed. She knew she was going to die. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the passenger's finger squeeze the trigger.

"ALEXIS!" Riley screamed.

They all held their breath, but no shot came. The passenger turned and yelled something to the driver as the two cars raced along, side by side. Suddenly, the sedan veered to the right, battering the Accord.

The four winced as the car lurched.

"Alexis!" Ben shouted. "Break hard!"

"What!" She shouted in disbelief.

"Just do it!" He yelled.

Alexis jabbed her foot down on the break as the sedan sped by, already in the process of trying to ram them again. They hadn't expected the silver car to stop, and went careening into the ditch on the side of the road and flipped.

Alexis pulled into the median on the other side of the road. She let go of the steering wheel, shaking uncontrollably. Riley wrapped his arms around her comfortingly.

"Is everyone alright?" Ben asked.

Abigail had several cuts on her face from falling glass, but other than that, they had escaped unscathed.

Ben immediately called 911 and reported the accident.

Riley helped Alexis out of the car and let her sit down on the cool grass. He circled the car, surveying the damage. From the bullet holes in the car's frame, he could see just how lucky they had been. Then, he saw the hole in the back of the headrest of his seat, realizing that this was the bullet that shattered the back window. He sank down into the grass next to Alexis, stunned by how close to death he had come.

The police showed up quickly. The two men in the sedan were taken away by ambulances.

One of the officers approached Alexis and Riley. "Hi, I'm Mark Mendoza. If you don't mind me asking, who was driving when this happened?" He expected the young male in front of him to be the driver, but was surprised when the young woman stood. "What's your name?"

"Alexis Lowell." Alexis said.

"And your name?" Mendoza asked, turning to Riley.

"Riley Poole." He answered.

The officer raised an eyebrow. "It was a matter of time." He mused. "Every celebrity ventures here eventually."

Ben and Abigail joined them, also giving their names to the officer.

"Can you tell me what happened?" Mendoza asked.

Alexis quickly related their tale as Mendoza took notes.

When she finished, the officer nodded pensively.

"Who were they?" Ben asked.

The officer closed his notebook. "We don't know. They didn't have any form of identification on them."

"What about the car?" Abigail asked.

"Stolen. Apparently from a Galveston car lot."

The four exchanged concerned glances.

"I'll need to see your license, Miss Lowell."

Alexis pulled her license from her purse and handed it to Officer Mendoza.

"Of course, you're from D.C." He said. "But I'd know a Texas accent anywhere, even one as faint as yours. Where were you born?"

"Dallas." Alexis replied.

He nodded and handed her license back to her. "Is this your car?"

"It's a rental." Ben said.

"Well, let's get you four back to the station so we can arrange a new transport for you."

* * *

After Mendoza had called another rental company and arranged for a new car to be brought over, he left the four in the break room of the station. 

"You were truly brave tonight." Ben said to Alexis.

Alexis stroked Riley's hair. He had fallen asleep with his head in her lap. She looked up wearily and smiled.

"You reminded me of the cowgirls of the 1800's." Abigail said. "Never ones to give up, even in the face of death."

"I just wanted to survive." Alexis said modestly.

"No, what we just saw," Ben said, "was the spirit of your pioneer ancestors shining through. It was your Texas heritage."


	7. Familiar Stranger

Wow, I love this story! Be sure to check out my new National Treasure story 'Man's Best Friend', and my new Danny Phantom story 'Danny Phantom: Friday the 13th'! (What? Timmy and Vicky are friends! WHAT KIND OF FUTURE IS THIS!)

Chapter 6:

Familiar Stranger

Their luggage was retrieved from the ruined Accord and loaded into the back of a new navy blue Navigator that the police department had rented for them. There were still questions left unanswered, but they would be answered in time.

Ben insisted that he drive the rest of the way so Alexis and Riley could get some much-deserved rest. After a few more papers were signed and reports made, the four were allowed to leave. It was 1:00 AM.

Ben pulled the car into the parking lot of the San Louis Hotel at 2:30. He and Abigail gently awoke their younger comrades and unloaded their luggage.

The surf washed against the shore, lapping lazily at the sand. The sound calmed the minds of the four friends as they entered the classic brass-trimmed glass revolving door.

The lights of chandeliers blazed in the window lined entry hall. Halfway down the hall, a player piano sat silently, waiting for the dawn to come so it could sound again. The entry hall opened into a large lobby. A ramp curled downward to their left and another set led to a darkened steakhouse. On their right, a woman with curly red hair sat behind a reception desk, reading a magazine. Four brass elevator doors engraved in the style of the late 19th century lay ahead of them, and above them hung a grand chandelier that steadily lit the lobby. The walls were painted a deep red, and the tiles were a reddish-brown.

Ben approached the receptionist. "Excuse me."

She jumped, not expecting to see someone so late.

"I'm sorry." Be apologized. "We just got in. Can we get two rooms?"

The receptionist nodded, her red curls bouncing with the motion. She set the magazine down and typed something into a computer.

Though tired, Riley stared at his surroundings, awed by their beauty. Abigail found a brochure on Galveston attractions to take to the room with her.

* * *

Ben returned with a cart for their stuff and their room keys. The three followed him as he walked to the closest elevator and pressed the button. 

They had ocean-view rooms next-door to each other on the eighth floor.

When they reached their rooms, Ben handed everyone the keys to their rooms. "Okay," He said quietly, "here's how the rooms work. Abigail and I will take this one. You two are in the one next to us." He pointed to Alexis and Riley.

Alexis's face registered shock, while Riley wore an expression of pure confusion.

"I expect you two to behave." Ben said with mock severity. He didn't really expect them to try anything anyway. They both looked like they were on the verge of collapse and he knew Riley would still be tired for two days.

Alexis stuck the card into the slot on the door and unlocked their room.

"Good night." Abigail said as she and Ben entered their suite.

Alexis was uneasy about sharing a room with Riley. Of course, they had stayed in the same house many times, and he had once spent the night on the couch at her apartment, but the same hotel room? But, then again, Riley had always respected her as a woman (and he was shy). She finally convinced herself that they wouldn't run into any problems.

Riley flopped wearily on the bed closest to the door.

Alexis unpacked her clothes and put them into the closet. Then, she found a cami and a pair of cotton pants to sleep in.

Riley was still lying on the bed, his arm over his eyes, shielding them from the light.

Alexis walked into the bathroom and shut the door. First rule of living together: the woman gets the bathroom first.

Riley took the opportunity to change, as well. He crashed as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Alexis turned off the light and stumbled through the darkness until she found her bed.

* * *

After their harrowing night, it was no surprise that none of them woke up before ten the next morning. 

Alexis opened the curtains that blocked the sun from the sliding glass doors to the balcony. Sunlight spilled in, filling the room with warmth.

Riley groaned. "The light, it burns…"

Alexis laughed and picked up a pillow.

"C'mon, can't I sleep?" How am I supposed to track down a treasure if I don't get any sleep?" He said, turning away from the light.

Alexis rolled her eyes. "Get up Riley." She said and smacked him in the head with the pillow.

He sat up. "Alright, Alright. I'm up." He threw the pillow back on Alexis's bed. "What is it with people and hitting me in the head? First Ben, now you!"

Alexis poked her head out of the bathroom. "Can you throw me my conditioner?"

Riley got out of bed and shuffled across the room to her suitcase. He found her conditioner and tossed it to her. She caught it rifle-catch style. "Ha! I still got it!"

Once they were both dressed and ready, Riley and Alexis went next door to Ben and Abigail's room.

"So what's the plan?" Riley asked.

"Well, we know we need to do as much research as possible" Ben said, once everyone had found a comfortable place to sit. "But we also know that two men in a car stolen from a car lot in this city tried to kill us last night. We have to be careful. Since there is always the chance of being recognized as the people who found the Templar treasure, I say, we split up differently. Alexis, you come with me. Abigail, Riley, you'll be together. We'll check with the Galveston Historical Society. You two see if you can find any local maritime museums. Report any suspicious behavior. And if anyone asks, use a fake name." He said to Abigail and Riley. "Okay, let's go."

"Wait!" Riley said. "Who's taking the car?"

"How about you two drop us off since you don't know where you will find your museum." Ben suggested.

"Great." Riley said, happy to not have to walk anywhere.

* * *

Ben and Alexis scaled the steps of the Galveston Historical Society's office and archives building. 

They walked through two tinted doors to find a lobby with two receptionists busily answering phones behind a desk. The two friends approached them.

The man, who appeared to be about Ben's age, set the phone down and looked up at them.

"Welcome to the Galveston Historical Society Archives."

"Hi." Ben said. "We're doing research on Jean Laffite. We thought this would be a good place to start."

"We'll need your names." He said.

Ben hesitated. "It's…Paul Brown."

"Roxanne Owens." Alexis said with a pleasant smile.

"Alright, Mr. Brown, Ms. Owens, I'm referring you to Ms. Monica Camden. She'll be able to help you find what you're looking for." He picked up the phone and pressed just one number. "Monica? Yeah, I've got some people here to do some research on Jean Laffite."

* * *

Abigail parked the Navigator outside of an old, well-kept brick building. The sign above the door read 'Galveston Maritime Museum.' They decided on their aliases and stepped out of the SUV. 

"Well, let's see what they know." Abigail said apprehensively.

Riley pushed the glass door open. A bell attached to the door announced their presence.

To their surprise, a small, old lady greeted them. "Welcome to the Galveston Maritime Museum. Feel free to look around."

Riley stopped the old lady and began asking her question after question. Abigail curiously searched the glass encasements of the artifacts.

Within ten minutes, Abigail had found several interesting items in the first room alone. "R-Bill?" She called, catching herself. "Bill, come look at this."

There was no answer. She walked around to the other side of a glass case several shelves high. She came to the other side and sighed. There was Riley, standing with his back to her, reading a small card describing one of the artifacts. "Bill, didn't you hear-" She stopped as he whirled around.

"I'm sorry." He said in a cultured voice that sounded like a cross between a New England accent and an acquired Texas accent. "I think you've mistaken me for someone else."

Abigail stared dumbfounded at him. He wasn't wearing the same clothes, and his hair was neatly combed, but even so, the man before her was an exact clone of Riley, right down to his vivid blue eyes.

"I'm sorry." She stammered. "You look exactly like a friend of mine."

He smiled, flashing the same smile she saw so often from Riley. "I'm Ryan Kingsford. I'm the curator of this museum."

There was an awkward pause as Abigail tried to forget that it wasn't Riley behind the neat suit. "Rose Sparrow." She said, giving her alias and extending her hand. He shook it firmly.

"I hope you enjoy your visit." He said.

"Actually, I was hoping you could help me answer a few questions about Jean Laffite." Abigail said.

"Our famous founder." Ryan mused. "It's thought that he was born in 1780, though no exact date is known. He was born in France. He served in the War of 1812, fought against the British as a privateer, and helped to win the Battle of New Orleans. Afterwards, he continued as a pirate and established a pirate haven here on Galveston Island. In a few years, President Adams ordered the haven destroyed. Laffite, still a gentleman, gave up the port without a fight, and the city was burned."

"Where did he go after that?" Abigail asked.

"He dropped out of the spotlight. I believe he returned to Louisiana."

"What about the treasure he is rumored to have accumulated?"

"There is no documentation suggesting its existence." He said quickly. A little too quickly for Abigail's liking.

"Thank you for your help." Abigail said, smiling warmly to disguise her suspicions.

"Thank you for visiting." He said.

Abigail walked through the other exhibit rooms until she came across Riley still talking to the old woman.

"Bill, we need to leave." Abigail said as casually as she could.

Riley nodded. "Alright, Rose, let's go."

The mysterious Ryan had vanished by the time the two entered the front room where Abigail had met him.

Riley walked out, and Abigail took one final look into the museum before joining Riley in the SUV.


End file.
